Kerowyn's Ride

I’d do a lot more than just apologize to avoid another two days like the past two!”

But Warrl was destined to have the last word, although he was nowhere in sight.

:It’s about time,: said a sardonic voice in her mind. Humans!:

If Daren wondered why she was choking on her porridge, trying not to laugh, he was too polite to ask.

Nine

Kero studied the sand-table, the terrain laid out in miniature, the tokens that stood for civilians, stock, fighting men and women. Bloodless warfare, she thought to herself. All the fighting reduced to numbers. Is that how generals see us?

Had it been a year since that quarrel with Daren? It must have been, since it was winter again. Tarma had gradually begun teaching them other things; strategy and supply, tactics and organization. Every daylight hour was spent in some kind of study; from their weapons’ practices to reading the fragmentary accounts of the wars of the ancients. Even their “leisure” hours usually had something to do with their studies.

“All right,” Tarma said, leaning over the sand-table. She indicated the tokens that represented the enemy forces, tokens she had just put in place. “There’re the opposing forces. What have you got, Daren?”

He studied his tokens, cupped in the palm of his hand, and placed them carefully in the sand. “Five companies of foot, one of horse, one of specialists. In country like that, the horse is useless.” He placed a token with a painted horse’s head on it behind the “lines.” “I need another company of foot and two of specialists if I’m going to hold you off. Mountain fighters, irregulars, if I can get them.”

“Which means you hire. Kero, what have you got for him to hire?” Tarma leaned over the table, resting her weight on her hands, and watched Kerowyn through narrowed eyes.

She represented the Mercenary Guild and the free-swords. “According to the list you gave me, he can get what he wants, but he’s going to have to make some choices.” She studied the roster, and wondered what he was going to pick—and what his resources would bear. She didn’t know what he had to draw on; Tarma did, but while she was playing the enemy, she would pretend she didn’t know.

He studied his handful of papers again. “So, what are my options?” he asked her.

“First, there’s a full bonded Company of foot, they’re at-hire, and their base is within three days’ march of your position; you’ll have to send a messenger across the Border, though, so I hope your relations are good with King Warrl over there.” She grinned at the kyree, who was playing all the neutrals in this little game.

:I’ll think about it,: Warrl replied genially. :Depends on what nice present he sends me.:

Kero grinned; she knew Daren couldn’t hear the kyree, which made Warrl’s comments all the more amusing. Daren consulted his list again. “I can afford to send him a bribe of some fine beef-stud stock under pretense of a trade mission. That’s in my private holdings and won’t make me raise taxes.”

Warrl laid his ears back and looked hurt :Bribes? How crude. I don’t know ... well, I suppose I must, crude or not.: He stood on his hindlegs, put his forepaws on the edge of the table, and nudged the little flag that signified “clear passage.”

“Thanks, your majesty.” Daren studied his sheaf of papers with a frown on his face. “All right, I can pay for the foot Company with surplus in the treasury. So what about these irregular fighters?”

“That’s where you get the choice,” she told him. “You can either hire two more bonded Companies, you can hire one bonded Company and one free-lance, or you hire the free-lance Company and set up recruiting posts and hire enough free-lancers to put another temporary Company together. The bonded Company will work with the free-lance Company, but not with a put-together force. There’s more than enough of the individual freelancers in your area. Free-lancers would be cheaper, about half the cost of Companies the same size.” She looked up at him. “That’s the first time I recall Tarma giving us that option. She’s always had bonded Companies in the game, no free-lancers.”

“Quite true,” Tarma replied, nodding. “You’ve gotten used to those options. Time to spice up the game with a little more reality. By the time you need them, Daren, bonded Companies will usually have been hired by someone else.”

Daren pursed his lips. “Hmm. The treasury is getting mighty lean ... Tarma, what’s the difference between free-lancers and a bonded Company?”

“Free-lancers are just that: individual hire-swords. Some of them may have bought into a Company, some may be totally on their own. They’re cheaper because they haven’t posted bond with the Mercenary Guild.” She stood up, and Kero noticed her flinching a little.

Her joints must be hurting again. I keep forgetting how old she is. We’re going to have to start working out against each other more, now that the weather’s turned cold. Save our teacher for the things only she can teach us.